Wildlife of the World

by DK, Don E. Wilson (Foreword by), Smithsonian Institution (Contribution by)

Overview

Experience the full force of nature with this stunning visual encyclopedia celebrating the world’s most wonderful wildlife. 

With an inspiring foreword by leading naturalist and wildlife photographer Chris Packham, this epic adventure takes you across the continents to meet all creatures big and small. You’ll visit the deserts of Australia, the grasslands of Africa, the rainforests of South America, the mountains of Asia, and the coral reefs of Australia on this mind-blowing tour to meet the incredibly diverse range of life on Earth.


Breathtaking photography, animal profiles, accessible maps, and facts and stats combine to create this standout reference title. Revealing a wealth of species across hundreds of spectacular pages, Wildlife of the World introduces you to animals that roam, swim, and fly in each and every part of our planet.

Calling all globe-trotters, nature enthusiasts, and biology students, this is your chance to experience the animal kingdom as never before and gain an absolutely essential addition to your home library.

Produced in association with the Smithsonian Institution.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781465438041
Publisher:	DK
Publication date:	10/06/2015
Series:	DK Wonders of the World
Pages:	480
Sales rank:	358,145
Product dimensions:	10.30(w) x 12.10(h) x 1.50(d)

About the Author

DK Publishing was founded in London in 1974 and is now the world's leading illustrated reference publisher and part of Penguin Random House, formed on July 1, 2013. DK publishes highly visual, photographic nonfiction for adults and children, and produces content for consumers in more than 87 countries and 62 languages, with offices in Delhi, London, Melbourne, Munich, New York, and Toronto. DK's aim is to inform, enrich, and entertain readers of all ages, and everything DK publishes, whether print or digital, embodies the unique DK design approach. DK brings unrivaled clarity to a wide range of topics with a unique combination of words and pictures, put together to spectacular effect. It has a reputation for innovation in design for both print and digital products. DK's adult range spans travel—including the award-winning DK Eyewitness Travel Guides—history, science, nature, sport, gardening, cookery, and parenting. DK's extensive children's list showcases a fantastic store of information for children, toddlers, and babies. DK covers everything from animals and the human body, to homework help and craft activities, together with an impressive list of licensing titles, including the bestselling LEGObooks. DK acts as the parent company for Alpha Books, publisher of the Idiot's Guides series and Prima Games, video gaming publishers, as well as the award-winning travel publisher Rough Guides.Don E. Wilson is a zoologist whose primary field of expertise is mammalogy, with a special emphasis on bats, which he has studied in more than 60 countries around the globe. He was the coeditor of Handbook of the Mammals of the World: Lagomorphs and Rodents I. He wrote the foreword for Wildlife of the World and is the author of Bats in Question: The Smithsonian Answer Book.

Editorial Reviews

11/09/2015
This gorgeous coffee table book of animal life across the planet, including a section on habitats, is a comprehensive gathering of the world's seven continents divided into their main geological environments and highlighting the creatures that occupy them. In Africa, for example, Wilson highlights the Ethiopian Highlands, the Great Rift Valley, and the Serengeti Savannas, to name a few, and provides beautiful images of the magnificent creatures that live there. Brilliant color photos show each of the animals in action: the impala leaps airborne, and giraffes are shown "necking." Accompanying text includes information about each animal's habitat and special characteristics (the crested berrypecker is monogamous), along with stats. Unusual animals, such as the sugar glider of New Guinea, add to the interest and beauty. This book is a perfect reference guide and a delight to page through, compiled with the authority of the Smithsonian and its list of consultants. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

"[G]orgeous coffee table book of animal life across the planet…This book is a perfect reference guide, a delight to page through…" — Publishers Weekly

"If there's a must-have coffee-table book, this is it." — The Sacramento Bee

"Beautifully illustrated with handsome photographs." — Booklist (Starred Review)

"[A] big book filled with great photography." — St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"Like a classic children's treasury book, this lavish work is an ideal option for researchers and browsers alike." — School Library Journal (Starred Review)

From the Publisher

★ 05/01/2016
Gr 4 Up—Looking outside one's window can give students an appreciation for nature, and this volume greatly widens the view. Detailed data panels provide a snapshot of the size, diet, status, and habitat of each species. The book begins with information on animal habitats and then shifts the focus to species in more than 40 ecoregions. Vibrant, full-color images illuminate the pages, with each spread including one to four animals. Fascinating facts are presented in larger fonts and add intrigue to the topics; readers will learn that, for instance, every wolf has a unique howl. The maps will enhance geography lessons, with material on places such as Tornado Alley and Shark Bay. Climate charts and graphs reinforce chart reading skills and correlate to mathematics lessons. The last section, "The Animal Kingdom," discusses mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibian, fish, and invertebrates. For each branch, there is a brief overview of anatomy and reproduction and a classification chart. VERDICT Like a classic children's treasury book, this lavish work is an ideal option for researchers and browsers alike.—Beth McGuire, Hempfield Area School District, Greensburg, PA

School Library Journal